Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Oct 24, (THAINDIAN NEWS) A recent study by Sara Konrath, on the relationship between empathy and narcissism has yielded many conclusions that reinstates the fact that the generation Y is more self absorbed than the youth of the last generation.

The researcher says that self absorption arises from the need to cover feelings of inadequacy and crave to get something more. Therefore, in a way this group senses cannot be objectively measured, as needs and demands varies from one person to another. The research shows that this degeneration of empathy and rise of narcissism amongst the youth these days may be conditioned by a society that promotes competition, ‘Survival Of The Fittest’, and may-the-best-man-win mentality. A research already been conducted by University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, shows that the level of empathy amongst the youth today is 40 percent less than that in 1979. These days the students consider the word “Good-Doer”, to a curse, and they think that being soft-hearted would lead to vulnerability, reveals her studies. Sara Konrath says that these students cannot be blamed as, they are constantly driven by the fear of failure and that is how they have been conditioned today by the present society.

She also says that the increase in the level of narcissism and reduction in the level of empathy, may be pertained to the new modes of communication via text messages and e-mail. These modes of communication hinders face to face communication and makes every relation very virtual. When we communicate personally, face to face, our mirror neurons allow us to read behavior, which results in empathy. Indirect communication deters that.